The Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC), entering its fifth season of providing world class match race sailing to the Great Lakes area, is pleased to announce its 2013 schedule of events and a new entry fee policy that seeks to grow sustainable match race sailing around North America.

This year's list of event includes 6 ISAF Grade Three events, two at the Grade Two level, and one Grade WC event, the Chicago Match Cup, the only US stop on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT). Entry to each event is by invitation, although teams can get to the Grade Two and the Grade WC event through a series of qualifiers, both at CMRC and other match race venues.

New for 2013 is an innovation in the CMRC entry process that will help ensure a turn-key experience for all teams invited to its events: entry fees will now vary according to the age and the budgets of the teams. This new system gives lower fees to teams whose skipper is under 28 years old (Level C), and higher fees to teams that have any paid professional crew on board for the event (Level A). All other teams are regarded as Level B.

Yet, rather than merely giving incentive for younger and more amateur teams to participate, this new scheme also gives more benefits to those with high entry fees. Level B teams, for example, receive pre-event boat charter options to train and practice, along with assistance in organizing accommodation while in Chicago, while Level A teams receive CMRC out-of-town membership privileges, a half-day of private TOM 28 coaching, custom CMRC team gear and photos, and two passes to the course-side VIP lounge at the AWMRT Chicago Match Cup.

Chicago Match Race Center Director Tod Reynolds comments, 'We analyzed a variety of approaches in order to strike the right balance between cost and value delivered. We feel this new model can work. The sailors will receive the same high quality in racing, equipment, and event management they've come to appreciate at CMRC, but are now provided some additional incentive to use this to their full advantage. We look forward to working with teams and tweaking the 'knobs' of the model as we receive feedback. We know that perhaps the greatest impact we can have on growing match racing globally is to find a new solution to event funding equation.'